I am so happy to be featuring my friend Dawn today for my Clean Eating Cocktail Party. Dawn and I go back a few years now, and our friendship is a perfect example of how blogging can bring together like-minded people. At one point, we were just regular commenting on each other’s blogs, and that sooned blossomed into an email relationship. Dawn and I talked almost daily fora year or two about life, health, food, family, etc – and that was before we ever met! We sealed the deal when I hopped on a plane to Florida to visit her next August, where I got to taste her clean and delicious cooking for myself. Dawn’s recipes like Black Bean Burgers with Mango and Peach Salsa, Upside Down Lentil Pot Pie, and Crunchy Kale Fattoush are perfect examples of how healthy, plant-based eating can be simple, quick, and full of flavor.

I’m so excited to be invited to this Clean Eating Cocktail Party at Cara’s Cravings! Thanks for having me over Cara! Now that the holidays are upon us, we are all super busy and are hoping to not pack on the pounds.

If you are asked to bring a dish to a game, cocktail party, holiday event or just a simple cookout, this Vegan Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Dip will please everyone’s taste buds. It is light yet filling and the flavors shine through with minimal seasoning.

I’ve recently turned over a new leaf and now aim to create recipes with six ingredients or less, (not including water, salt and pepper), as well as ways to utilize left overs if you have them. This recipe doubles as a simple side for your family with any left over grain and veggie – mix the two together, stir up the sauce and voila! Left-overs recreated! It’s a great way to deliciously get some extra veggies into your diet – especially if you have picky kids.

Since rice is used in this dish, it is naturally gluten free, and by utilizing non-dairy milk and nutritional yeast, it is vegan and rich in calcium and B-Vitamins.

Directions:

Bring water or broth to a boil; add rice, reduce heat and cover. Cook on low for 55 minutes. Remove from heat for an additional 10 minutes. Place 1 cup of cooked rice in a medium bowl and save the rest for a later use.

Meanwhile, steam broccoli, about 15 minutes; chop well and mix into the bowl with cooked rice.